Sunday, June 28, 2009

Real-life Romance by Guest Blogger Lisa Dale (with a book giveaway)

I have romance on the brain these days—not just in my books, but in my real life!

For most of my life, I’ve never really had that “bride” gene. While my girlfriends lined up one after another at the altar, I was always content to be a bridesmaid. And I’ve never really responded with any kind of fierce emotion when I see book cover features veils, bridal gowns, or wedding cakes. I never had anything against weddings. I love love. But weddings…they always seemed like much more trouble than they were worth.

Now…it’s a whole different story. You see, my boyfriend proposed to me on a beach in St. Petersburg, Florida, recently. Though he and I have been together very happily for quite some time, I really didn’t see it coming. It was entirely surprising and one of the absolute best moments of my life.

We never talked about getting married because I didn’t want to put any pressure on him to ask me. I’ve seen what pressure to get married can do to relationships. I once went to dinner with a couple who had been dating for a while, and we all knew the girlfriend was dying to get married (she told everyone). That evening, we were sitting around the table chatting happily, and the woman picked up one of the crayons on the table and started to draw on the paper tablecloth. Can you guess what she drew? An enormous blue engagement ring! Not exactly subtle. About six months later, that couple had broken up.

When people ask me if Matt and I have set a date yet I like to tell them we’re not rushing into anything. But the truth is, if I could plan a wedding for tomorrow, I would! It’s so odd that so much time has passed since I first fell in love with him, and now I feel as if I can’t wait one more moment to get married. I’m more than a little excited about buying a dress!

Planning a wedding seems as difficult as planning a novel—if not more, since I’m not much of a planner. But it’s beginning to occur to me what the fuss is all about. And since I’m in the business of romance novels, that’s probably a good thing.

What about you? How do you feel about weddings—especially in novels? Do you like to see wedding scenes in order to feel like the romance is solid, or is the romance enough in and of itself? Is an implied wedding enough in a book?

Share your thoughts, and one commenter will win a copy of my first book Simple Wishes, about a young woman who returns to her mother’s cottage in the mountains—seeking isolation but finding so much more. There’s more information at http://www.lisadalebooks.com/.

10 comments:

I think it completely depends upon the story and the characters. If you have a hero or heroine who has shied away from commitment in the past then, to me, an actual wedding shows that this relationship is special.

Hi, Lisa! As much as I love weddings, I don't always need or even want to see it played out in a story. If the story's focus is on a different aspect of the couple's relationship, it can feel awkward to slap a wedding on there, like frosting on meatloaf. On the other hand, if marriage is a specific issue in a couple's journey, then including the actual big day can be really the perfect ending.

Thanks for sharing your comments about weddings with me. It's been interesting to read. Of course, you're right (as a group) that it depends on the book--at least for me it does.

It seems to me, though, that there's some kind of underlying preference for wedding scenes--in movies especially. It almost seems like there's an expectation of a wedding scene in romantic movies. I do like a nice wedding scene, but, like you all, I can be happy without as well.

I am AM happy about my own upcoming wedding scene, though. Thank you so much for the congrats!

I'll stop back tomorrow morning to pick a winner. I don't want to miss anyone who might comment this evening.

I do love weddings in a romance novel. I don't need them though, in order to feel like the romance is solid but it's always a plus. And sure an implied wedding is good enough.I recently read a book which ended with the H/H moving in together. I really liked the book but would have LOVED it if the characters had tighed the knot. It is part of a serie so hopefully I'll see a wedding along the way !!